Life After the War
by Raptor2216
Summary: We all know how the war ended. And we know the epilogue. But what happened in between. Follow the Golden Trio as they begin their lives after the war, get married, start their careers, and raise children. Bad summary, but the story will be good.
1. Chapter 1- Ginny's Heart

**Hello to all you Harry Potter fans and Raptor2216 fans. Raptor2216 here, and I am here with a new story.**

 **I just recently completed my first story. Even though I plan on a sequel for that story, I thought I'd celebrate completing it by starting a new story.**

 **I am a major Harry Potter fan, and I have seriously gotten into reading post-Battle of Hogwarts fanfictions. In fact, if you guys know of any really good ones, please let me know their titles and authors so I can check them out. So, for my next story, I decided to write a 19 missing years type fanfiction for Harry Potter. I am also considering, in the future, writing a Flash/Harry Potter crossover fanfiction.**

 **This story will actually start with Voldemort bringing Harry's body back to Hogwarts. The first chapter will totally be in Ginny's POV. The main after-the-battle story starts in Chapter 2.**

 **I am still writing the storyline. I have gotten to Chapter 63 so far, which gets to 2002. I hope you guys end up liking this story. Also, I plan on being very quick on publishing it. I hate it when stories go a super long time without updating, especially when they're good. So, I'll be publishing a chapter every few days, minimum, unless I get into periods where I can't write.**

 **Okay. That's enough of that. Let's get started. (P.S. Hope the chapter title isn't bad)**

 **Chapter 1- Ginny's Heart**

 _Ginny felt nervous as she walked out of the castle towards the courtyard, with her father beside her. They had been walking out of the Great Hall, unable to stay there any longer, when they saw Neville standing alone in the courtyard, holding the Sorting Hat. And, beyond Neville, on the bridge leading to the courtyard from across the chasm, was a procession of Death Eaters, with Voldemort at their head._

 _As she and her father walked into the courtyard towards Neville, Ginny noticed a few things. First, she saw Voldemort's snake, Nagini, slithering along beside him. But, even more obvious, was the towering form of Hagrid, bound by four ropes, each held by a separate Death Eater._

 _At first, she only saw Hagrid. Then, as she drew closer, she saw that Hagrid was carrying a body. It didn't look like one of the Order, or a professor. As she looked, there was something familiar about the body Hagrid was carrying. A terrible feeling filled Ginny's heart and mind._

 _Ginny, in a quavering voice that betrayed how nervous she was, asked Neville, "Who is that, that Hagrid's carrying? Neville, who is it?" Her voice grew higher and more worried with every word._

 _More people were coming up behind them. Ginny could hear them. More of the Death Eaters were crowding into the courtyard, fanning out as they came. But Ginny didn't care about any of that. Not even Voldemort. Her gaze was focused on Hagrid._

 _Then, Voldemort spoke. "Harry Potter," he said in a loud triumphant voice. He paused for a moment, then said, in an even louder and happier voice, "IS DEAD!"_

 _Instantly, she felt like she had been plunged into ice-cold water. She ran forward, towards Hagrid, and Harry's body, screaming, "No! NO!" Her father quickly caught up with her. Ginny lunged forward, trying to just get closer to Harry's body, but her father grabbed her arm as Voldemort raised his wand and shouted, "SILENCE!"_

 _Her father gently pulled her back towards where Neville was standing. "You stupid girl," said Voldemort, "Harry Potter is dead. From this day forth, you put your faith in me."_

 _Ginny kept her eyes on Harry's body. It felt like her heart had turned to stone, shattered into a million pieces, then the pieces just disappeared. Her heart wasn't just gone. It was gone, and had torn her up on the inside on its way out._

 _Voldemort had turned around and was walking towards his Death Eaters. He spread his arms out and repeated, "Harry Potter is dead!" The statement drew laughs from the Death Eaters. Voldemort turned back to the defenders and gave a demented laugh before saying, "And now is the time to declare yourself. Come forward and join us…or die!"_

 _Silence fell. But Ginny didn't care about any of it. The man who held her heart was dead, and taken with him her heart and, to her, her reason for living. She swore she would see Voldemort dead, and would see each of his Death Eaters punished soundly for taking Harry away from her. And, hopefully, she would be granted the chance to join the love of her life._

 _Suddenly, she heard Lucius Malfoy call out the name Draco. She turned around to see Draco. To her surprise, he seemed reluctant to move. It wasn't until his mother called him that he gave in, but he did not seem particularly pleased in doing so._

 _Draco came down and crossed to the Death Eater's. In a show that was as twisted as it was weird, Voldemort tried to give Draco a hug._

 _As Draco reached his parents, Neville started to limp forward. Ginny looked at him. He couldn't really be wanting to join Voldemort, could he? The next moment, Ginny felt ashamed of herself for even thinking it. But still, what was Neville doing?_

 _As he limped forward, Voldemort said, "Well, I must say I'd hoped for better." This earned laughter from the Death Eaters._

 _Voldemort circled a little bit, eying Neville, then asked, "And who might you be, young man?" After a moment, Neville responded simply, "Neville Longbottom."_

 _More laughter from the Death Eaters. Voldemort smiled too before saying, "Well, Neville, I'm sure we can find a place for you in our ranks." "I'd like to say something," Neville said quickly, cutting off Voldemort._

 _Voldemort looked at Neville, looking irritated. He lifted a hand, clenching it into a fist then unclenching it, before, to Ginny's slight surprise, "Well, Neville, I'm sure we'd all be fascinated to hear what you have to say."_

 _Neville was quiet for a second before he said, "It doesn't matter that Harry's gone." Ginny felt a little angry. What was he talking about? Seamus apparently shared her view, because he said, "Stand down, Neville." Neville turned back around and said, "People die every day." He paused for a second before going on._

 _"Friends, family. Yeah. We lost Harry tonight. But he's still with us. In here," he said, looking up and putting his hand on his heart for emphasis. "So's Fred, Remus, Tonks, all of them."_

 _There was a few moments silence. Ginny could hardly believe it was possible, but Neville was making her tear up even more. After staying silent for a few moments, Neville went on, saying "They didn't die in vain." Then, he turned to face Voldemort and said, "But you will. 'Cause you're wrong."_

 _By now, Voldemort was laughing through his teeth at Neville. "Harry's heart did beat for us," said Neville, "For all of us." Then, in one motion, he drew the sword of Gryffindor from out of the Sorting Hat and said, "This is not over." Everyone else quickly got ready to fight again._

 _Ginny readjusted her grip on her wand, when suddenly she heard a rustling. She turned to see Harry's body falling and land on his hands and knees. She couldn't believe Hagrid would drop him._

 _Then, Harry scrambled to his feet. Ginny's eyes widened. He stared at Voldemort, then pointed his wand ans shouted "Confringo!" The curse flew at Nagini, and bounced off her skin into the Death Eaters as the mighty snake hissed in anger._

 _Ginny couldn't believe what she had just seen. She whipped her head around, and saw Hermione smiling in pure joy, and Ron looking dumbfounded. She then whipped her head back around to see Harry, who was just leaping into the path on the side of the courtyard. Voldemort fired three Blasting Curses from his wand in quick succession, but failed to kill Harry._

 _By now, Voldemort's forces were starting to crumble. Stunned by the revelation that Harry was alive, a number took off, unwilling to stay and fight._

 _Before she could really do anything, Ginny was pulled back into the Great Hall. Harry ran back to Ron and Hermione, who were all shouting at each other. Kingsley was in front of them, blocking incoming spells. Voldemort was charging towards the entrance to the great hall, with his remaining Death Eaters in trail. Neville tried to charge out with the sword, but was blasted back by Voldemort, who then disapparated with Nagini. Harry, Ron, and Hermione quickly disappeared into the castle, apparently to search for Voldemort._

 _Though it was clear Harry was alive, Ginny was still determined to do what she could to help defeat Voldemort. She quickly spotted a Death Eater, who she did not recognize, who was torturing a student. She fired a Stunning Spell at the man, and barely missed. A second later, the two were dueling. It didn't take too long for her to hit him with an Impediment Jinx, then hit him in the face with a Stunning Spell._

 _Her first opponent defeated, Ginny ran towards her family. As she reached them, she quickly saw Bellatrix Lestrange. Ginny raised her wand, ready to attack Bellatrix. But, Bellatrix was quick, and cast a curse Ginny did not recognize at her. Ginny was only just able to protect herself. The force of the curse forced her back a step, forced her arm above her head, and immobilized her for a second._

 _Bellatrix began to giggle. Then, Ginny's mom got on the table Bellatrix was standing on, pointed her wand at the evil witch, and said, "Not my daughter, you *****!" The two began to duel. But, it didn't last very long. Mrs. Weasley hit Bellatrix with a spell that seemingly turned her into a statue. Then, she cast a final spell that blew Bellatrix to ashes._

 _Ginny stared at her mother, not sure what to think. Then, a Stunning Spell flew past her head, and she was drawn into another duel._

 _She was still dueling her second Death Eater when he suddenly froze, as did all the other Death Eaters in the Great Hall. As Ginny watched, the Death Eater she had been dueling lifted up his sleeve to show his Dark Mark. Except, the Dark Mark was almost completely gone. It had almost totally faded._

 _The Death Eater looked right at Ginnie. It was clear to both of them what was going on. Then, the Death Eater took off as a streak of black smoke and streaked away. Almost as one, the other Death Eaters began running or flying away, or Disapparating. Some were Stunned before they could get away. Before long, the Great Hall was empty of conscious Death Eaters._

 _It was very clear to everyone what had happened. But nobody cheered. It wasn't because they couldn't because of grief. It was more that they weren't sure how to react. Voldemort had been terrorizing the Wizarding World for decades. Nobody really knew how to react now that he was dead._

 _As people gathered in the Great Hall, the mood was surprisingly peaceful. People were talking very normal, as though hardly anything had happened._

 _Ginny soon found herself sitting next to her mother, her head on her mother's shoulder. As she saw Harry walk by, she stared at him almost in a trance, hardly believing he was really alive._

 _Ginny remained there for a while, as Harry walked off with Ron and Hermione, and out of sight._

Ginny sat up bolt upright. She had not been expecting to have that play in her mind again as a dream. Why would she relive that experience again? **Why** did she have to?

Ginny looked out the window. The sun was starting to rise. Shaking her head, she leaped out of her bed and ran from Gryffindor tower. She needed some time to process what had happened today.

Her heart had been broken, and she wasn't sure it had mended yet.

 **And, that's it. Yeah, I know. Not the best chapter, and definitely not the best ending, but I wrote most of this late at night. Hopefully it's not too bad.**

 **I will be publishing chapters frequently. Chapter 2 will be up tomorrow if I can manage it.**

 **I'll end here with a plea that you review. This is a brand new story, and I want feedback and suggestions.**

 **Have a good summer.**

 **Raptor2216 out.**


	2. Chapter 2- Aftermath

**Hello, guys. Here I am with Chapter 2. Yes, I know this came quick. But I want to be quick like this in publishing chapters.**

 **A notice. The first chapter followed the movie events. But, this chapter will feature Harry having talked to Dumbledore's portrait, like in the book. Also, in this story, Harry does repair his original wand. And, finally, I've decided Lavender lives in this story.**

 **I don't want to talk too much now. So let's get going. (Again, the chapter title isn't the best)**

 **DestroyerLord13:** You make a good point. I will probably make some changes to Chapter 1 to make it fit better into the story. I will probably make what is currently written for Chapter 1 a flashback or dream, then add in some present-time at the end.

 **Chapter 2- Aftermath**

"I am proud of you, Harry," said Dumbledore's portrait.

Harry smiled. After taking a walk with Ron and Hermione, during which he had snapped the Elder Wand, after repairing his original wand, he had come to the Head's office, and delivered a report on what he had done to Dumbledore's portrait, ending with the fate of the Elder Wand.

"I am proud of you. Not many people could resist that power. You are the one who is truly worthy to possess the Hallows," said Dumbledore's portrait. "Well, not exactly," said Harry, "With the Elder Wand gone, and the Stone lost somewhere in the forest, I only have the cloak." "Yet, you are more worthy than any other to own all three," said Dumbledore.

Harry smiled, then yawned a little. "I think it is time I get to Gryffindor tower. I need rest." Dumbledore smiled, and said, "Indeed."

Harry smiled back at the portrait, then turned to leave. But, Dumbledore said, "Wait a moment, Harry." Harry turned around to face the portrait. Dumbledore looked at him with twinkling eyes, then said, "I have a message for you. A message your parents wished me to pass on to you after you had come of age."

Harry stared intently at the portrait. "What is it?" "Your parents left you more than just the money in your vault. They left you many other things. I will not tell you of most of them, as they will be revealed to you later. But there is one item in particular they wished me to tell you the location of where they hid it."

Harry looked at Dumbledore, waiting. Dumbledore smiled at him, then told him what the item in question was, and where his parents had hid it.

"I trust you will know what to do with it," said Dumbledore with a smile. Harry stayed silent. After a moment, he smiled too. He did indeed know what to do with it. And he could wait no longer than he already had.

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said. He and Dumbledore again exchanged smiles, then Harry turned and left the office, and headed towards his old bed in Gryffindor tower.

(23 hours later)

Harry stirred in his bed. Then, he opened his eyes and sat up. Looking around the dormitory, it looked like it was lit the exact same as when he fell asleep. Getting up and going to a window, Harry saw the sun was in the same position as when he fell asleep. Either he had slept for a few minutes, and he had slept for a full day.

Taking a moment to wipe off his face, Harry hurried downstairs into the common room. It was surprisingly empty. The only person he saw was Parvarti Patil, who was sitting on a couch, looking into the fire.

Harry walked up to the couch and cleared his throat. Parvarti turned her head to look at him, then smiled. "You're alive," she said with a smile, "You've been sleeping for a whole day."

Harry shook his head. That explained why he felt so well-rested. "I must have been really tired," he said. Parvarti smiled. "Ron and Hermione said nobody was allowed to go and disturb you. They guarded the staircase to the dormitory until a few hours ago when they decided they wanted some alone time," Parvarti said with a small smile before she continued, "I've been watching the stairs since then. Neville was supposed to be helping me. But he ran off somewhere a while ago."

Harry smiled. "Thanks," he said. Parvarti smiled back. "Of course," she said. She then patted the couch cushion beside her and said, "Come on. Sit down." Harry took up her offer. When he sat down, though, his chest twinged with discomfort. His face showed his discomfort, and Parvarti noticed. "Are you okay?" she asked. "Mostly," Harry responded, "But my chest still hurts."

"Is that where the curse hit you?" Parvarti asked. "Yes," Harry responded. "Is it really bad?" she asked. "I don't know. I haven't looked at it," Harry said. Parvarti raised an eyebrow, as though she couldn't believe he hadn't. In response, Harry reached down and pulled his shirt up so Parvarti could see the spot where the curse had hit.

When Parvarti saw the spot, her eyes got wide, and she gasped. Harry looked down, and was surprised himself. The area around where the curse had hit him had developed a bruise, about the size of a saucer, that was several colors. In the center, in the exact spot where the curse had struck, Harry could just see a scar, exactly like the one on his forehead.

"Wow. That looks really painful," Parvarti said. "It's not that bad," Harry responded, and he lowered his shirt back down.

"You really ought to have Madam Pomfrey look at that," said Parvarti. "No. I'll be fine," said Harry. Parvarti looked skeptical, but she knew better than to argue with Harry about this.

"What's happened while I was out?" Harry asked Parvarti. "Not a whole lot. Some repairs have started. Most of the bodies of dead Death Eaters have been buried in a mass grave in the Forbidden Forest. The bodies of the people who died fighting the Death Eaters have been put in coffins, which have been put in a few classrooms. Professor McGonagall and Kingsley been anounced the plan is to bury them all here at Hogwarts in a special cemetery they're going to build. So far as I know, only one family hasn't agreed to it."

"Good," said Harry, "They deserve to be buried here." Parvarti nodded. "Is Lavender okay?" Harry asked, "Or is she…"

"She's alive. Barely. She's going to affected by what Greyback did, but she should live," said Parvarti.

Harry nodded. They stayed silent for a little while. Then, Harry asked, "Is there anything else that's happened I ought to know?" "Not really," said Parvarti, "The centaurs have accepted Firenze back into their herd. Also, Hagrid left with Grawp to take the few remaining giants from Voldemort's army back to where they came from."

Harry nodded. They stayed silent again for a few moments, before Harry said, "Well, I'd best be going. I have other people I need to see." Parvarti smiled at him. "Of course. I will see you later. I'm so glad you're alright."

"Thanks," said Harry with a smile. He and Parvarti embraced for a few seconds. As they separated, Parvarti looked him right in the eyes. "Remember, if you ever need someone, I'm here for you." Harry smiled. "Thank you, Parvarti," he said, "I'll see you later." With that, he turned and walked out of the common room.

As he walked down the stairs towards the Great Hall, he could see evidence of the battle. Cracked walls, pieces of debris everywhere, and, in two different places, blood stains. He also passed a few people who were starting repairs.

When he reached the entrance hall, he saw Neville sitting on a pile of rubble. Luna was sitting next to him. They were looking at each other and talking quietly. Harry smiled as he walked up to them.

Luna noticed him and spoke first. "Hello, Harry." Neville looked up at him too. WIth a grin, he said, "Glad to see you're doing alright. I trust you slept alright?"

Harry smirked. "And I hear that you were supposed to help Parvarti stop anyone from coming into my dormitory, but ditched her." Neville looked a little sheepish. "Umm, I got distracted."

"By a certain blonde girl who might be sitting next to you," Harry inquired. Neville went red. Luckily, Luna came to his rescue. "Perhaps. But, I was supposed to tell you that the Weasleys are waiting for you in the Great Hall."

"Thank you," said Harry. "I'm glad that you're alright," said Luna smiling. Harry smiled back, then walked into the Great Hall.

He scanned the hall. People were spread out, sitting at whatever table they wanted. House elves were actually serving them instead of just sending it up from the kitchens.

It didn't take long for Harry to locate the Weasleys. They were sitting at the head of the Gryffindor table. Harry also noticed Hermione was with them. He simultaneously noticed George and Ginny were missing.

Taking a deep breath, Harry started walking up the aisle between tables towards where the Weasleys sat. He made it about halfway there when Fleur spotted him. She beamed at him and called out, "Harry!" The whole Weasley family looked up and stared straight at him for a few moments.

Harry would later say that a pack of charging Weasleys could be very intimidating. After they had stared at him for a moment, they had all leaped to their feet and ran at him, Mrs. Weasley in the lead. Harry almost jumped backward away from them, but he managed to keep himself rooted where he was.

At least, until Mrs. Weasley hit him. She reached him and threw her arms around him and nearly knocked him off his feet. "Oh, Harry!" she pretty much shouted, "I'm so glad that you're okay. I don't know what I would've done if I'd lost another son."

"Mrs. Weasley," Harry started, but she cut him off. "It's Molly, Harry. And, before you say it, yes, you are like my seventh son." Harry just smiled and wrapped his arms around her.

It took a few moments before Mrs. Weasley would let go. And as soon as she did, everyone else was hugging him. Even Percy. Percy tried to just shake Harry's hand, but gave in and embraced him too.

Before long, every Weasley present except Ron had hugged him. As Harry turned to embrace Ron, he was caught off guard when Ron threw his arms around Harry first. The friends just stayed hugging each other for a few moments, before they separated. They just looked at each other for a moment, then Ron said, "Glad you're feeling better, mate."

Harry nodded. Then, of course, he and Hermione had to give each other a hug. But, theirs was not terribly long. Hermione simply gave him a brief hug, then said, "I'm so happy you're feeling better."

Harry smiled, then pointed between Ron and Hermione and said, "So, you two are definitely a thing now?"

The two blushed a little as they looked at each other. In the background, Fleur sighed a little bit, and Bill pretended to wolf-whistle. Harry almost cracked up at that. It took Ron a few more moments before he was able to respond, "Yeah, I guess so." He then beamed at Hermione, who smiled back.

Harry looked around at the rest of the family. "Where's George?" he asked. Everyone looked around at everyone else before Bill said, "He went off somewhere. He said he needed some time alone to think and cope with...you know. He did say he wanted to talk to you after you woke up." Harry felt a little surprised, but he just nodded.

"And Ginny?" he asked. Even the mention of her name sent his heart fluttering. He wanted her back so bad. He loved her so much.

More glances between the Weasleys. This time, they genuinely looked encomfortable, like they didn't know what to say. Eventually, Fleur spoke up. "Harry, she's-" She paused, unsure how to proceed. Then, she continued, "Well, she's not feeling her best. We haven't seen her all day."

Then, Percy spoke up. "She was feeling very down yesterday afternoon and evening. She tried to sneak up to see you, but Ron and Hermione stopped her." Both Ron and Hermione shuddered a little bit. Harry could only guess how angry Ginny had been at them.

"I could hear her from outside the Gryffindor Common Room and down the corridor," said Percy. "I managed to cast Mufliato just in time," said Hermione, "If I hadn't, she would've woken you up for sure."

Hermione paused for a moment, then went on. "The last I saw her, she was feeling very down. But, I could tell she really wanted to see you."

Harry just stood there. If she was feeling this bad, why hadn't they woken him up? He could've helped her.

"We wanted to let you sleep, so that's why we didn't wake you up because of this," said Hermione, as if she'd read his mind.

Fleur then spoke up again. "You ought to go see her Harry. She might feel better if she sees you." "If she doesn't get super angry at you," said Charlie, "If that happens, you might get lucky to get just a Bat-Bogey Hex cast on you."

Mr. Weasley looked at Charlie sternly before he said, "Go find her, Harry." Harry nodded, then turned and walked out of the Great Hall. As he walked away, Ron started after him, as if to follow him and watch what Harry did when he found Ginny, but Hermione grabbed his hand and squeezed. Without even looking at her, Ron knew she was saying, "Don't even think about it."

As he walked out of the Great Hall, and started off to find Ginny, Harry thought to himself, _I hope she is not too angry with me. Without her in my life, i don't know what I'll do._

A thought from the previous day returned to him, and he nodded to himself. He had to get her back. He took off into a run, running through the castle and out into the grounds, looking for the love of his life.

 **Sorry, but that's where we're stopping.**

 **Next chapter will feature Harry and Ginny's reunion. And no, Ginny will not hex him into oblivion or send him to the hospital. But I'm not gonna promise she won't be angry. It will be up tomorrow or Saturday.**

 **I've got nothing more to say now, except to ask you to please review, and to wish you a good summer.**

 **Raptor2216 out.**


	3. Chapter 3- The Reunion

****Hello guys. Here I am with Chapter 3.****

 ** **This is the anticipated chapter featuring Harry and Ginny's reunion. I will give no hints as to where this is headed. I haven't even completely figured out my plan for this chapter myself.****

 ** **Also, just so you know. Chapter 1 took place the night following Voldemort's death, during Harry's period of sleeping for 23 hours. So, when harry woke up, Ginny had left her dorm hours before.****

 ** **Also, just for your information, references to the battle, and the series in general, will draw from elements of both the films and books.****

 ** **That's enough for now. Let's get going.****

 ** **Chapter 3- The Reunion****

Harry ran out into the grounds, looking around for any sign of red hair. He got a glimpse of red hair for a moment, but, it was just some random student who happened to have red hair.

As he headed out into the grounds, Harry was thinking about Ginny. What was she going to say when she saw him? Would she be angry? Would she run away from him? Would she hex him? Or would she cry?

Then, he thought to himself, _Where would she go if she were upset, or just wanted to be alone?_ As he thought, he heard a squawking noise. He looked up to see Buckbeak swooping down towards him.

Harry watched as Buckbeak landed in front of him. He bowed to the hippogriff, who immediately bowed back. Harry approached the hippogriff and patted his neck. "How are you doing, boy?" Buckbeak squawked in return. "Hey, you haven't seen Ginny Weasley have you?" he asked. To his surprise, Buckbeak actually squawked as if to say Yes, then pointed his beak towards the lake. "Thanks, Buckbeak. I'll have to come see you more often," Harry said with a smile. Buckbeak smiled, then took off again, flying towards the Forbidden Forest.

Harry smiled after the hippogriff, then raced off towards the lake, hoping Buckbeak had in fact pointed her towards where Ginny was.

As he ran, he wondered how he was going to handle this. He didn't know exactly how Ginny was feeling, and didn't know how to handle this reunion when he didn't know how she was feeling.

As he neared the lake, he saw a flash of red hair. He slid to a stop, looking towards where he saw the red hair. Then, he saw her. Ginny was sitting under a tree next to the lake. Harry took a deep breath, then started walking towards the tree and Ginny.

When Harry reached the tree, he stopped, took another deep breath, then said, "Ginny?"

Most of her body was hidden behind the tree, but Harry could see she instantly stiffened and sat up straighter. She sat that way for a moment, then turned around the tree and looked right at him. Her eyes seemed to widen a tiny bite, and Harry thought he saw tears start to form in her eyes. She then slowly stood up and faced him.

She stood in silence for a second. In that second, Harry braced himself to be hexed, or hit, or a multitude of other things.

Then, more tears came to Ginny's eyes. With hardly a noise, she took a few running steps and threw herself at Harry, wrapping her arms around him, and began crying into his shoulder.

Harry was a little surprised. He had quite expected this as a possibility of Ginny's reaction to seeing him. But, he quickly got over the shock and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him.

Harry and Ginny remained in that embrace for a minute before Harry said, "You're not angry with me?" Ginny pulled away. She still had tears in her eyes despite her new annoyed expression. She punched him in the arm as she said, "Of course I'm angry with you. How could you leave me like that?"

Harry didn't know what to say. Then, Ginny's expression softened again. "But, that doesn't really matter to me. You're alive, and that's all that matters to me. You have no idea how heartbroken I was when Voldemort said you were dead."

GInny got more tears in her eyes. "Harry, you have no idea how I felt when Voldemort said that. I felt like my life was over. I felt like my life had lost meaning. I felt…" And Harry cut Ginny off by leaning in and kissing her. Ginny was caught off guard, and just stood there for a moment. Then, she kissed him back with more passion than she ever had before.

They remained locked in that embrace for a little while. Only when they were gasping for breath did they finally break away. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment before Harry said, "So, will you forgive you, and take me back?"

Ginny gave a smile and said, "Not quite yet." Harry's heart sank. Then, Ginny said, "Repeat after me. I, Harry James Potter."

Harry cracked a small grin and said, "I, Harry James Potter." Then, Ginny said, "Admit that I was an idiot for leaving Ginny Weasley." "Admit that I was an idiot for leaving Ginny Weasley," repeated Harry. "And solemnly swear that I will never do it again," she said. "And solemnly swear that I will never do it again," Harry repeated. "And beg her to take me back," Ginny finished with a smile. "And beg her to take me back," Harry repeated, also with a smile.

Ginny smiled, with a few tears rolling down her cheeks. "Yes, Harry, I will take you back. You're the only man I would ever want."

Harry smiled. "I love you Ginny." Ginny let more tears fall as she said quietly, "I love you too Harry. More than anything."

Then, Harry and Ginny leaned in and kissed once more. For the next several minutes, they remained locked in their embrace, completely lost in each other, and happy to finally be back together.

 ** **I think I'll end the chapter right there.****

 ** **I hope the chapter didn't disappoint. I took a lot longer to finish than I thought. It took a while for me to decide where I wanted this to go. I had to do quite a bit of revision along the way. Also, sorry it was kinda short. I promise that the next chapter will be quite a bit longer.****

 ** **Well, I'm not much in the mood for much more talking. So I'll end here with the usual request to please review, and wish you all a good summer.****

 ** **Raptor2216 out.****


	4. Chapter 4- Homeward Bound

****Here comes Chapter 4.****

 ** **Not going to say what this chapter is exactly about. But, I will say it will be longer than the last chapter.****

 ** **Not in the mood for much chit-chat right now, nor do I really know what to say. So, let's get going. (Hope the chapter title isn't too bad. Got it from a song title, actually. But, it features just more than a return to the Burrow.)****

 ** **Chapter 4- Homeward Bound****

Ginny sighed with happiness as she leaned against Harry's shoulder. They were sitting at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. They were not eating. They were just sitting there, content to just be with each other. So far, they hadn't been interrupted, as the Weasleys had left the hall after Harry had, and had not yet returned.

After a few minutes of this, Harry asked Ginny, "What do you think Ron's going to say about us being back together?" Ginny smirked. "If it's anything less than being happy for us, I'm jinxing him." Harry smiled. "And that's one reason why I love you." Ginny smiled back.

"Harry! Ginny!" The two sat up and turned towards the entrance to the hall. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill and Fleur, and Ron and Hermione were hurrying towards them.

Harry and Ginny smiled at them, bracing themselves for any kind of reaction. Once she reached them, Mrs. Weasley threw her arms around both of them. "I'm so happy you're feeling alright, Ginny." "Thanks, mom," Ginny gasped out. Sensing she was driving the air out of her daughter, Mrs. Weasley released her and Harry.

After releasing them, Mrs. Weasley smiled at them and said, "You two are so cute together. I couldn't ask for a better man for my daughter." Both Ginny and Harry went bright red.

Then, Mr. Weasley suddenly appeared over his wife's shoulder. Harry looked Mr. Weasley in the eye. They had a quick silent conversation which ended with Mr. Weasley smiling broadly and nodding slightly to show his approval of his and Ginny's relationship.

Then, the happy couple had to endure hugs and congratulations from Fleur, who seemed extremely happy at the thought of the two being together. Luckily, Bill was able to calm his wife down. Then, Harry and Ginny came face to face with Ron. Hermione was standing beside him, looking quite nervous, but wisely staying silent.

Harry, feeling nervous about Ron's reaction, put his arm around Ginny, holding her close, trying to show Ron he wasn't going to be scared away from Ginny by Ron.

Harry and Ron looked at each other for a few moments. Then, Ron kind of sighed, before he said, "Well, I guess anything I say isn't going to have any effect on you guys." "Nope," Ginny said immediately, "We're going to be together no matter what you say." Harry nodded to show he thought the same.

Ron sighed again. "Then, I guess I've got no choice but to be happy for you." Then he smiled, "I'll admit, there's nobody I'd rather be with my sister than my best mate." He extended his hand and said, "I approve of you two." Ginny scowled slightly at the idea that they needed Ron's approval.

"Treat her well, mate," Ron said with a smile. "You know I'd never treat her any less than a queen," said Harry. Ginny smiled at that, and actually let a tear flow. Harry reached out and took Ron's hand. Then, a second later, Ron pulled Harry away from Ginny and embraced him.

Harry and Ron embraced for a moment, then pulled apart and smiled at each other.

Suddenly, a deep voice interrupted the happy meeting. "Excuse me, Harry." Everyone turned, already knowing who it was. Kingsley stood a few feet away. By the look of it, he had been standing there for a minute.

"Hello, Minister," said Harry. "Harry, we've known each other for too long. You have permission to just call me Kingsley. All of you do," Kingsley responded. Everyone smiled.

"I have a few things to discuss with Harry. I know you all are planning on going back to the Burrow later today, so I need to talk to you before then. Would you mind coming with me now?" Kingsley asked. Harry looked at Ginny, who didn't look too pleased with having Harry taken away from her again, but she gave the tiniest nod. Harry turned to Kingsley and said, "Sure thing, Kingsley."

Kingsley led Harry out of the Great Hall and into a small room nearby. The ceiling had cracked open, but it wasn't damaged too bad.

Kingsley looked at Harry with a smile. "How are you holding up?" "Alright," said Harry. Kingsley smiled again, then put on a more serious expression.

"I have a few questions for you. First off, I need ask you about where you were with Ron and Hermione this past year. You were hunting Voldemort's Horcruxes weren't you?"

Harry felt astonished. "How did you know that?" Kingsley grinned. "I had always wondered why Voldemort survived what happened in Godric's Hollow all those years ago. I had suspicions about it. But, yesterday, during the last little bit of the battle, right before Voldemort died, I saw Neville kill Voldemort's snake, Nagini. I had seen Nagini take a lot without getting hurt, and I had seen you three had been very fixed on killing it. Then, when Neville killed Nagini, she just dissolved into smoke. When I saw that, everything clicked. I knew why Voldemort had survived what happened in Godric's Hollow, and I felt sure I knew what you had been up to the last year. So, that is what you were doing?"

Harry felt surprised. Kingsley was smarter than he thought. Harry nodded and said, "Yes." Kingsley nodded, then asked, "May I ask what they were, and where they were?"

Harry nodded. "Voldemort made six Horcruxes. Before Dumbledore died, two had already been destroyed. One was the diary of Tom Riddle I destroyed in my second year. The second was a ring belonging to Voldemort's uncle that Dumbledore destroyed right before the start of my sixth year.

"The third Horcrux was a locket belonging to Salazar Slytherin. It was hidden in a cave by the sea. However, Regulus Black stole it with the intention of destroying it. Mundungus stole it from Grimmauld Place, then sold it to Dolores Umbridge. We had to break into the Ministry to get it.

"The fourth Horcrux was a cup belonging to Helga Hufflepuff. It had been placed in the Lestrange's vault in Gringotts. We broke into Gringotts to get it.

"The fifth Horcrux was the lost diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw. When he was at school, Voldemort managed to get its location out of Helena Ravenclaw, then, after making it into a Horcrux, hid it in the Room of Requirement.

"Then, the sixth Horcrux was Nagini. But, as it turned out, he accidently made a seventh Horcrux: me." Kingsley looked surprised. "When he tried to kill me, and the Killing Curse rebounded, part of his soul was blasted free of him and latched itself onto me. That's why I tried to let Voldemort kill me. That was the only way to get rid of the piece of Voldemort's soul that was in me."

Kingsley looked at Harry in amazement. "That is incredible. Thank you for telling me all of that." Harry nodded.

Then, Kingsley spoke again, with a more business-like tone. "Now, I have a proposal to make to you. I have known for a while that your dream is to be an Auror. Is that still your intention?" "Yes," said Harry, "Even though Voldemort is gone, a lot of Death Eaters are still out there. And, eventually, more wizards will come forward to try and make trouble."

Kingsley grinned. "I couldn't have expected anything less from you." Then, he said something that surprised Harry. "Given all that you have done in the past year, I would like to offer a position in our Auror training program immediately. However, me and professor McGonagall have a request for you. It should be obvious that we currently have no Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. We would like to offer the position to you next year. After that, we will try and get a permanent teacher. But, we thought it would be nice for you to return to Hogwarts, albeit as a teacher, and I can't imagine young Miss Weasley would object." Harry grinned, going a little bit red.

"If you do well enough, then you can enter the training program right after the school year is over. Also, we will cut your training period down to a year at most, unless we receive indication you need more time. Also, being here would give you some time to study up on some of the other subjects you need to know to be an Auror. Potions in particular."

Harry didn't know what to think. "Well, what do you say?" asked Kingsley.

Harry thought about it for another minute. Then, he started to get a good feeling. He could see enormous benefits to accepting the offer. Plus, he would get to be with Ginny more than he would otherwise.

"Okay," said Harry after a minute, "I accept. I'll be the teacher for next year. But only for one year." Kingsley smiled. "That's all we want from you," he said.

"We'll need you to come to Hogwarts a little early to get ready for the position. Also, we would like you to tell nobody about this." "But, what about Ginny? And Ron and Hermione?" Harry asked. "We would prefer this be kept a secret. I know Ginny will be returning next year, and I believe Hermione will too. I guess, if Ron doesn't return, then you can tell him, but only if he promises to keep the secret."

Harry smiled. He was going to be a Hogwarts professor.

Kingsley smiled to. "Now, I would suggest you get back to the Weasleys. I believe they intend to leave for the Burrow soon." Harry nodded, then left the room.

(A few hours later)

It had been a few hours since Harry had his discussion with Kingsley. Now, he and the Weasleys were preparing to leave for the Burrow.

The whole Weasley family had gathered outside the castle, huddled around a broken chair that had been turned into a Portkey. They were waiting to grab onto it, waiting until it got ready to leave.

George was with the family. It was the first time Harry had seen him since leaving the Great Hall the previous day with Ron and Hermione. He seemed to be holding up surprisingly well. When he had seen Harry, he told him quietly that he wanted to speak to him alone when they reached the Burrow.

The family was mostly quiet, with just occasional chit-chat coming up. They were leaving without Fred. They had decided, after much deliberation, that he would be buried at Hogwarts. It was hard for them to stand the thought of having to travel all the way to Hogwarts to see his grave. But, eventually, they decided it was for the best.

Harry squeezed Ginny's hand as they waited. She seemed to be handling Fred's loss pretty well. But, he wanted her to know he was there for her.

Suddenly, the broken chair began to glow blue. "Everyone!" Mr. Weasley warned. Everyone reached out and grabbed hold of the chair or placed their hands on it. Then, seconds later, there came the familiar jerk, and they spun away from Hogwarts.

Moments later, they landed on hard ground. Standing up and shaking their heads to clear them, they saw the Burrow. It was completely untouched.

Mr. Weasley put his arm around his wife, then led her towards the Burrow. Everyone else followed the two of them into the house.

As they entered, George said, "Harry. Can I please see you in my room real quick?" Harry nodded. He turned to Ginny real quick and gave her a quick nod, then followed George upstairs to his room.

As they entered, Harry asked George, "How are you?" George looked at him. Harry started to regret asking it before George said, "Decent enough. Losing...him, was horrible beyond description. But, while I was alone at the castle, I realized the last thing Fred would want would be for me to just ignore the world and concentrate on my grief. He'd want me to get back on my feet, get back to my life, and continue the joke shop."

Then, he got a more business-like look on his face. "Speaking of the shop, i wanted to tell you something. Your name has been listed as one of the owners of the shop since we started it. Me and Fred had a little bit of the profits deposited in your vault at Gringotts since we opened. You now own half of the shop."

Harry was shocked. "Are you serious?" he asked. George nodded. "I just thought I would tell you now. We were planning on telling you if we ever bought Zonko's. We were thinking of asking you to be the manager of that shop if we opened it."

"I'm honored George. In fact, I'll help fund the shop for the next little while, until you really get going again. And, if you're willing, I'd like to help at the shop for the next few months."

George smiled, which shocked Harry. "Thanks, harry. But, just to be curious, why just a few months?"

Harry paused, then decided he could trust George. "Because, Professor McGonagall and Kingsley have asked me to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for the next school year, and I accepted," he said, after casting Muffliato just in case anyone came by the door.

George looked surprised, then beamed. "That's awesome, Harry. You'll make an awesome teacher." Harry grinned, a little embarrassed, then said, "You have to promise not to tell anyone. It's supposed to be a secret."

George smiled. "Of course. And I'd love to have you work at the shop until then."

Harry smiled. "It's my honor to be able to," said Harry, "It was my money that helped you get started after all. It's only right I put in some work there."

George smiled once more, then embraced Harry. But, before releasing him, George said, "If you do anything to my little sister, I have a special product me and Fred designed specifically to be used on anyone who hurt Ginny, and it's not pleasant."

Harry laughed as they released each other. "Oh, don't worry. I'd never hurt Ginny." George grinned. "Good. You two really deserve each other," he said.

Harry smiled. "Nice to talk to you George. I'm always there for you if you need someone." With that, he and George left the room.

When they got downstairs, everyone asked what they were talking about. Harry and George just said that Harry had promised to help out at the joke shop over the summer. In moments, Ginny, Ron, and Percy also volunteered to work at the shop over the summer.

The rest of the evening went by with a cheery mood. Everyone talked and joked. Mrs. Weasley made a wonderful dinner. And, a while after dark, everyone went to bed.

Except Harry. Once he felt that everyone was asleep, he snuck out of Ron's room and crept down the stairs. He walked out of the front door, careful to shut the door quietly, then hurried away from the Burrow. Once he was far enough away, he Disapparated.

The next second, he found himself in Godric's Hollow. He crept through the town until he reached the ruins of his old house. The place where his parents had died.

He climbed over the fence and made his way to the garden, where Dumbledore had said his parents had hidden something special.

It took Harry a while to find it, but he finally found the spot where the object had been buried in the garden. When he pulled it out and looked at it, he smiled. Yes. He definitely knew what he wanted to do with it.

 ** **And, that's the end of the chapter.****

 ** **First off, yes, this mysterious item is the item Dumbledore mentioned in Chapter 2. You will finally get the revelation of what it is in the next Chapter. Feel free to guess what it is in reviews.****

 ** **I know this came the same day as Chapter 3, but I want to be quick about publishing chapters of this story.****

 ** **Okay, let's stop right here, with the usual request to please review and give me your critique.****

 ** **Raptor2216 out.****


	5. Chapter 5- Surprise

****Hello guys. Here comes Chapter 5. This will be a major chapter, so I hope you like it.****

 ** **You will finally get the identity of the mysterious item left for Harry by his parents that I've mentioned in Chapters 2 and 4. I'm guessing many of you are by now guessing correctly what this object correctly.****

 ** **Well, enough with the chit-chat. Let's get moving with the chapter.. (Again, sorry if the chapter title isn't the best.)****

 ** **Chapter 5- Surprise****

Harry looked out the window of the Burrow. It had been two days day since the Weasleys, accompanied by Harry and Hermione, had returned to the Burrow. It was late in the afternoon. Most of the family was sitting around the house. The only one not in the house was George, who was inspecting the joke shop, seeing if any damage had been done to the shop since he was last there.

Harry looked out the window. The sun was starting to set, and the sky was starting to turn orange instead of just blue. It had been an absolutely beautiful day, without hardly a cloud in the sky.

Harry took a deep breath as he helped himself to a bowl of of soup Mrs. Weasley had made up for everyone to snack on if they were hungry. He couldn't wait any longer. He had to do this before the funeral for those who died in the Battle of Hogwarts. It would give him something to be happy about.

After he finished his soup, he put the bowl in the sink so it could be washed, then walked into the living room. Ron and Hermione were sitting on the couch, holding hands and talking softly. Percy was sitting in an armchair, going through some papers for the joke shop. And Ginny was sitting in another armchair, looking into the fire.

"Hey, Ginny, can you come with me for a second?" Harry asked. Ginny looked at him, then shrugged her shoulders and said, "Sure." She got up and walked over to him. Ron and Hermione were too engrossed with each other to really notice. But Percy looked up at him. He smiled and gave a quick nod of the head. He had found out what Harry was planning, but had agreed to keep it secret.

Harry led Ginny outside. When they got outside, Ginny asked him, "Why did you want me to come out with you?" Harry grinned. "I just wanted to take a walk with the girl I love," he responded. Ginny smiled, then took his hand when he offered it.

Together, they walked into the apple orchard. They walked among trees, occasionally saying something, but mostly just staying quiet and being content to just be in each other's presence.

After they had been walking for a few minutes, Harry said, "Do you want to meet my parents?" Ginny looked at him, confused. "They're dead, Harry. How am I going to meet them?" Harry just smiled, "You won't. In person." Ginny felt a little confused, then she started to get it. "Ohhh," she said as she realized what he was saying. "Sure, why not?" she said.

Harry grasped her hand, then Disapparated. A moment later, they were standing outside the graveyard in Godric's Hollow. Compared to the first time Harry visited it at Christmas, Godric's Hollow was nice and warm, and just as pretty in late spring as it was in mid-winter. The setting sun cast a reddish-orange glow over the houses lining the streets.

"Wow," Ginny said in a quiet voice, "This place is amazing." She looked around at the buildings. "Wow, I would love to live here," she said. Harry grinned. _Maybe you will someday,_ he thought to himself.

"Follow me," he told her, and led her into the graveyard.

Since he had already been there once, he knew how to get to his parents' grave without searching grave by grave. It didn't take very long before he found the marble headstone.

When Ginny saw the headstone, she stopped short as soon as she saw the names. She stepped closer to Harry, entwining her arm with his. She held him tightly, and they just stood in silence.

"You know, the last time I was here, with Hermione, she was leaning on me kind of like you are now. Except, she wasn't holding my arm, and I didn't like it as much," said Harry. Ginny smiled.

They stood there for another minute. Then, Harry thought to himself, _It's time. I can't wait any longer._ He took a deep breath, knowing what was about to happen could change his life forever. He took another deep breath, then pulled his arm out of Ginny's, grasping her hand instead, and said, "Ginny?" in a soft voice.

She looked him right in the eyes. She could see something in his eyes she had never seen before, and she couldn't tell what it was. "Yes, Harry?" she said in a questioning tone.

(Insert romantic music here)

Harry took a tiny step back, still holding onto Ginny's hand. "Ginny, you're the most beautiful, amazing girl I've ever known. You make me more happy than I've ever been. All last year, I could not stop thinking about you. It broke my heart to leave you like I did. And I never want to do that again. I want you to mine. I want you in my life forever."

Ginny looked so pleased when he started to speak. But, as he finished, she looked more surprised. Then, Harry let go of her hand. She looked more surprised, then shocked when Harry slowly knelt down on one knee, then reached into his pocket and slowly pulled out a small velvet box. Once he was down on his knee, he opened the box.

Sitting there in the white cushioning was a beautiful ring. The band was gold and inset with tiny rubies. The top of the ring was set with a large diamond, with another small diamond on each side.

This was the special object that his parents had left behind for him. It was his mother's engagement ring. Dumbledore said his parents, just in case, had left it for him to give to his wife whenever he proposed to her. The rubies, he had said, were put in by James after buying the ring to symbolize them both being in Gryffindor.

Ginny instantly felt her legs turn to jelly. She put her hands to her mouth with a gasp, hardly able to breathe. She could not believe what was happening.

Harry looked Ginny right in the eyes, holding the ring box with both hands. Then, with all the sincerity he could muster up, he asked that magical question.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley, will you make me the happiest man in the world, and marry me?"

Ginny stood there for a moment, unable to talk. Then, she lowered her hands, and, with tears pouring down her face, she whispered, "Yes!"

She nodded her head and repeated, "Yes!" in a slightly louder voice. Harry smiled, removed the ring from the box, and slid it onto Ginny's left ring finger. He then stood up as he stowed the box in his pocket. As soon as he stood up, Ginny threw her arms around him and kissed him more passionately than she ever had in her life.

When they separated, Ginny looked at him, with tears flowing down her cheeks. Harry said, "We don't have to get married right away. We can wait till next summer, or longer if you want." Ginny smiled, "I can't wait any longer than next summer. Then is perfect." She then kissed him again.

When she pulled away, she held up her hand a little bit and asked, "Where did you get this ring?" "It was my mom's," he said. Ginny looked at him, shocked. "Your mom's?" she asked. "Yes," he said, "Dumbledore's portrait told me my parents had left it for me. So, the night after we returned to the Burrow, I went to go get it from where they had hidden it, which was actually the garden from the house where they died."

Ginny felt more tears come to her eyes. "You would use your mom's engagement ring on me?" "Of course," said Harry, "That's why they left it for me. Plus, nobody deserves a ring like that more than you." That statement earned him another kiss.

When they separated, Harry said, "Let's head back to the Burrow. Your family will want to know about this." Ginny smiled, then was pulled into the crushing darkness as Harry Disapparated.

The next moment, they were standing in front of the door to the Burrow. They steeled themselves for the family's reactions, then walked in, heading for the dining room.

Everyone was there, just getting ready to eat a delicious dinner cooked up by Mrs. Weasley. When Harry and Ginny walked in, there was a chorus of "There you are"s and "Where were you"s. Harry said, "We went out for a walk, then I took Ginny to see my parents grave." Everyone looked a little solemn, while Fleur said, "That is so romantic."

Suddenly, Mrs. Weasley screamed, drawing everyone's attention. She was pointing a shaking finger at Ginny's left hand, the one she wasn't using to hold Harry's hand. Everyone followed the finger, and multiple pairs of eyes widened. Ginny grinned, then held up her hand so everyone could see the ring, saying, "Me and Harry are engaged."

The dining room exploded. People were screaming and shouting. Mrs. Weasley jumped up and almost flew over the table to wrap her arms around Harry and Ginny. Fleur got to them next, so excited she was speaking in French. Then came Hermione, followed by Bill and Percy, and then George and Charlie.

Once everyone else had taken their turns, Harry and Ginny found themselves face to face with Ron. Harry gulped silently. It was one thing to expect Ron's reaction to them getting back together, and another to look for his reaction to them getting engaged two days later.

Then he grinned. "I assume you won't listen to me if I tell you you don't have my blessing. Luckily, you don't need to go through that. Because my best mate is going to be my brother in law." He embraced Harry, who was thrilled he hadn't freaked out.

He pulled back, put on a serious expression, then said, "You better not hurt my sister, or I'll hurt you, you hear?" Harry laughed and said, "Yes, Ron."

Ron laughed, then threw his arm around Harry's shoulder and led him to the table.

As they all sat down, Fleur asked, "Harry, where did you get the ring." Harry smiled a little and said, "It was my mum's."

The room went very quiet. Harry explained about the ring, how his parents had left it for him, then told the story of the proposal. A chorus of "Awww"s filled the room when he finished.

"Why didn't I know about this beforehand?" asked Mrs. Weasley. "I would like to know the same," said Mr. Weasley.

Harry grinned. "I didn't even know I wanted to do this until the day after the battle. After I got back together with Ginny, I knew I couldn't let her go. Dumbledore had already told me about the ring, so, at that time, I knew I wanted to ask Ginny to marry me, and soon. So I didn't tell any of you. Percy was the only one who knew."

Everyone turned towards Percy, who immediately threw up his hands. "Hey, I didn't know until about four hours ago, when I happened to spot Harry looking at the ring. He made me promise not to tell, after he admitted he was going to propose." Mr. and Mrs. Weasley rolled their eyes, then turned their attention back to Harry and Ginny.

The whole night was spent in celebration of the couple's engagement. As he went to bed that night, Harry knew he could take on anything, even the sorrow that would come the next day at the funeral and memorial. Because Ginny Weasley was going to be his wife.

 ** **I think I'll end there for now. I hope you guys didn't mind Ron's reaction. I think there are enough stories where he doesn't take it too well, I wanted to make this one a story where he did take it well. Ron will be pretty chill with Harry and Ginny's relationship in this story.****

 ** **I'm guessing a few of you saw this coming. And yes, the wedding will not be taking place until after the coming Hogwarts school year.****

 ** **For those of you who are interested, the link to a picture of the ring design is in my bio. The ring I pictured in my mind for this story for Ginny's ring is pretty much exactly like the ring in the picture in my bio, except the tiny diamonds ringing the ring in the picture are rubies in this story.****

 ** **I have to stop writing here, as it's late at night, and I have work in the morning, so I will ask you to please review, and wish you all a great summer.****

 ** **Raptor2216 out.****

 ** **To be continued in "The Memorial"****


	6. Chapter 6- The Memorial

**Hey guys. Back with Chapter 6.**

 **This chapter will feature the funeral for those who died defending Hogwarts in the final battle with Voldemort. I'm not quite sure how I want to write this out, but hopefully it won't be too bad. It will be somewhat short, and I probably won't go into a lot of detail.**

 **HG4EVER69:** I figure Ron's relationship with Ginny is kinda like the one I share with some of my siblings. He doesn't show much interest, but doesn't want her to get hurt. So, I kept that element of him being protective, without him going wild.

 **Enough chit-chat. Let's start.**

 **Chapter 6- The Memorial**

Harry sat in the front row of chairs. He was dressed in his dress robes, and waiting for the ceremony to begin.

Today was the day of the funeral for the dead defenders of Hogwarts. He had been selected to sit in the front of the crowd along with very important people, like Kingsley and Professor Mcgonagall. The crowd was seated right outside the plot of land where the graves were.

Everyone else was seated behind Harry's row. Harry glanced back to Ginny. She smiled sadly at him. The engagement ring that had once been his mom's glittered on her left ring finger, but only Harry could see it. They wanted to keep their engagement secret for a little while, so a charm had been cast on the ring for the ceremony so only Ginny and Harry could see it.

Harry smiled back at her. He felt so sad for her and her family. They had lost a member of their family, someone they were all so close to. He was glad to have proposed to Ginny when he did. It gave the Weasleys something to be happy about. Harry then turned back to face the cemetery, ready for the ceremony to start.

A minute later, at exactly 10 in the morning, Kingsley stood up at a podium to address the crowd. A charm had been put on the podium that would amplify the voice of whoever was standing at it.

"Welcome, everyone. I would like to welcome you all to the funeral and memorial service to all those who died defending Hogwarts from Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Before I begin, I would like to recognize the presence of several important people." He introduced all the important people sitting in the front row with Harry. Then, he finished with, "And, last of all, Mr. Harry Potter, the one who finally defeated Lord Voldemort." There was polite applause for the announcement of each name, but when harry's name was announced, the applause was louder.

Kingsley then quieted everyone down. "We are here today to honor the many who gave their lives in defense of this school, and the cause of freedom. They made the choice to risk their lives to help stop Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. They all deserve special recognition for their sacrifice.

Kingsley paused for a split second, then said, "The list of names of those who died fighting Lord Voldemort in the Battle of Hogwarts is as follows." He then began listing the names of everyone who died. He didn't recognize a number of them. But, when he heard the names Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, and Fred Weasley, he had to choke back tears.

Once Kingsley was done reading off all the names of the dead, he spoke a few words in the honor of all the dead. Then he opened it up to the relatives speakers.

For each of the dead, one of their relatives had been selected and was allowed to speak about their deceased relative. It was kept to one speaker per dead person in order to keep the ceremony from lasting too long.

When it came time for Tonks' speaker. Andromeda stood up. She spoke for both Lupin and Tonks. She spoke of their love, and their talents, and their dedication to the Order of the Phoenix.

As Harry listened to Andromeda, he felt a sense of determination. He had to meet Teddy before the day was over.

Another 12 speakers got up before George stood up to speak for Fred. When he stood up at the podium, he couldn't speak for several moments. When he did speak, his voice was a little shaky.

"Fred was my other half. He was my twin, and the best brother anyone could ever ask for. He made my life perfect. From day one, we were partners in crime. Without him, the chaos we sowed would never have been as fantastic, and our joke shop would never have become a reality." George gave a slight grin, then continued.

"But, beyond all the humor and the love of good pranks and jokes, Fred was a kind, loving, and dedicated man. He cared about all whom he met. He was loyal to his friends, and would do anything for them. Most of all, he cared enough about the wizarding world to give his life toward preserving its freedom."

At this, George really looked like he was about to break down crying. But, he got control of himself, and continued speaking. "Fred was a great man. The world is worse off without him in it. But, his memory, and the memory of all those perished trying to bring down Lord Voldemort will never be forgotten."

George looked like he wanted to continue speaking, but instead he wiped his eyes and stepped down from the podium. Kingsley patted him on the shoulder. George slowly walked back to his seat.

Then, Kingsley stepped up to the podium. "Now, will everyone please stand and observe a moment of silence as the coffins of the dead are brought forward."

Everyone stood. A small army of Aurors marched up the large aisle, each one levitating a coffin and moving it towards the cemetery. Everyone watched the procession in silence.

Once all the Aurors had entered the cemetery and were standing beside the grave of the person they were levitating, Kingsley stood up at the podium. "And now, before we do the burials, I would like to have one more speaker come up. Everyone, please welcome, Mr. Harry Potter."

Harry felt shocked. He had not been told about this. He had no idea what to say. But, now, he couldn't just not speak. So, feeling extremely nervous, Harry stood up and walked up to the podium. As he got close, Kingsley patted him on the shoulder, as if to reassure him.

Harry stood at the podium for a few moments, then finally spoke. "I'm not sure what to say. Because I'm sure anything I say will not sufficiently honor those who gave their lives in defense of this school." There was a little bit of applause.

Harry continued to speak. "These people made the ultimate sacrifice to defeat the ultimate threat to freedom. They gave their lives for the freedom of their family and friends, and the freedom of the whole wizarding world. Their memory will never be lost. And the sacrifice they made will never be forgotten."

Harry wiped a few tears from his face. "I did not know many of the people who died in this battle. But all of them were important, and will be remembered. Fred, Remus, Tonks, and the other 50 people who gave their lives in this battle to stop Lord Voldemort, your family and friends, and the wizarding world mourn your loss. We bid you goodbye. We will never forget you."

With that, Harry ended his short speech, and stepped down. Everyone gave him some applause. Harry returned to his seat.

Kingsley took the podium again. "Thank you, Harry. And now, we bid our final goodbyes to the deceased." Everyone watched as the Aurors placed the coffins into the graves, and filled the graves back in.

With that, Kingsley bid everyone farewell, and the memorial serivce came to an end. Everyone was now free to wander among the graves, or look for the graves of loved ones. Harry immediately made a beeline for Andromeda as she headed towards her daughter's grave.

"Mrs. Tonks," he called out to her. Andromeda looked at him fondly. "Hello, Harry. Thank you for those kind words you spoke."

Before Harry could speak, Andromeda spoke again. "Teddy isn't here. He's at my house. I have my neighbor watching him. But, you can come see him anytime." Harry smiled, thanking her, and promised to come see Teddy, then headed off to find Ginny.

He found her with the rest of the Weasleys, standing in front of Fred's grave. As he took her hand, she squeezed his hand. Harry knew, no matter what trial came their way, they would get through it. Together.

 **And I finish there. Sorry this took longer than I thought. I was unable to get in enough writing time since last publishing.**

 **I hope this chapter was long and detailed enough.**

 **Also, for those of you who may be wondering, I got the ending lines of Harry's speech from President Reagan's speech at the funeral of the crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger.**

 **I have nothing else to say for now.**

 **Please review, and wait for Chapter 7.**

 **Raptor2216 out.**


	7. Chapter 7- Happy 18th

**Hey, guys. Back with Chapter 7.**

 **This chapter is about Harry's 18th birthday. It takes place a few months after the last chapter.**

 **Let's get going.**

 **Chapter 7- Happy 18th**

Harry slowly shook his head and raised it off his pillow. The sun was just rising over the horizon.

For a few moments, Harry was still feeling really sleepy. Then, he suddenly sat up straight. He remembered what day it was. It was his 18th birthday. By Muggle standards, he was officially an adult.

He shot up out of bed, finding Ron about to wake him up. "Well, somebody's excited," Ron said with a smile. "Hey, I'm 18. It's exciting," Harry said with a smile of his own.

"Now, if you'll please excuse me, I have to go say Good Morning to somebody," said Harry. Ron rolled his eyes, but let Harry out of the room once Harry had changed into jeans and a T-shirt.

Harry made a beeline to Ginny's room. He knocked lightly on the door, and when he got no response, he opened the door. He found Ginny tangled up in her blankets, fast asleep. Harry smiled. Apparently, the large amount of Quidditch they played the day before had completely tired her out.

Harry walked over and shook her. "Ginny, wake up." She instantly shot up in her bed, tried to get up, tripped over her blankets, and almost fell over. Harry grabbed her and helped her back to her feet, using his wand to make the blankets unravel.

"Why did you do that?" she said. "I wanted to wake you up to ask why you didn;t come to wake me up on my birthday," he said with a smile. Ginny had taken up a habit of waking him up the mornings, usually with a kiss.

Ginny's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh! It's your birthday! How could I have forgotten?" For a fraction of a second, it looked like she wanted to cry, but Harry looked her right in the eye and said, "It's okay. You were tired and needed sleep." Then, he leaned in and kissed her.

When they pulled back, Ginny had a smile on her face. "Thanks," she said softly. Then, in a normal voice, she said, "Get out of here. I need to change. I'll meet you outside when I'm finished." Harry smiled, then hurriedly left the room.

While he waited for Ginny to change, Harry reflected on the last few months. It had been about two and a half months since the funeral and memorial service. During that time, Harry and Ginny had grown even closer, which was saying something, since they were engaged. Incidentally, they had not told anyone outside the Weasley family of their engagement. Yet.

Harry had also been spending a lot of time at Andromeda Tonks' house with her and Teddy. He had grown incredibly fond of Teddy. Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley had accompanied him on several visits. Ron thought Teddy was cute, but the women absolutely adored him.

Harry's musing over memories was interrupted when Ginny's door opened, and she stepped out, dressed in jeans and a blue T-shirt. She smiled at him, then said, "Well, let's go see everyone. I'm sure they're waiting to wish you a Happy Birthday." Harry smiled, took her hand, then they walked down to the kitchen.

When they entered the kitchen, they saw an owl flying out of the window. Five envelopes and eight packages were sitting on the table. Two envelopes and a package were set aside from the others, which were being scrutinized by Mrs. Weasley, Ron, and Hermione.

Harry sighed. "More fan mail?" he asked. "This is," responded Ron, indicating the three envelopes and seven packages that he, his mother, and his girlfriend were eying. Hermione then indicated the two envelopes and one package that were set apart from the others. "These letters are from Kinglsey and Mr. Ollivander. The package is from Honeydukes, interestingly enough."

Harry nodded, then looked at the fan mail and sighed. Ever since the funeral, fans had swarmed him, Ron, and Hermione, but mainly him. He got tons upon tons of fan mail, mostly love letters. He had also received a number of packages holding chocolates spiked with love potion. Ron had gotten the same, though there was less of it. Hermione had also gotten a lot of love notes and poetry and letters asking her out. She had even received a few packages of love potion chocolates. The amount of love potion chocolates being sent to the tree was so bad, George had actually taken his line of love potions off the shelves. It had been funny to him at first, but eventually he decided enough was enough, and decided to keep them off the shelves for a while.

Harry had also had to deal with fans trying to meet him. Starting about a week after the funeral, people had started coming to the Burrow to try and see him. It had been a surprise when a number of people, led by Romilda Vane, had showed up at the door to the Burrow, wanting to see Harry. They had been greeted by Mr. Weasley and Percy, who had not been pleased to find so many people on their doorstep. They threatened to set Ginny and her Bat-Bogey Hexes on them if they didn't clear out. That threat managed to keep them away just long enough to set up magical barriers, which kept out anyone the Weasleys did not want coming onto the property.

Harry asked, "Any familiar names among the fan mail?" "Yeah. Romilda again," said Hermione indicating the largest package. Harry felt Ginny's hand tighten around his. Romilda sent him packages containing a lot of love letters and love potion chocolates about every week and a half on average. The last time Romilda had sent Harry something, Ginny had gotten so angry, she had just chucked it out the window before Harry even had the chance to get near it.

"Anyone else?" he asked. "Nope," Ron said. "Well, let's get started," Harry said. They started going through the fan mail. All the letters were love letters. All but one of the packages contained chocolates. The one from Romilda was literally stuffed full with chocolates. Ron agreed to test out a chocolate from each package. The Weasleys had a large container of love potion antidote on hand. Each package's chocolates were indeed spiked, and Ron had to be quickly given the antidote. The final package actually contained a birthday cake. It was from a girl who had never written him before, and after reading it was his birthday, decided to show her thanks for what Harry had done in defeating Voldemort. Ron took a small bite of the cake to test it, and it actually wasn't spiked with love potion. Harry quickly decided to write a thank-you to the girl.

All the letters and other chocolates were quickly thrown into the fireplace and incinerated. Harry got the feeling he should try and take care of Romilda's obsession with him before long.

"Well, let's see what these are about?" Harry said, looking at the letters from Kingsley and Ollivander , and the package from Honeydukes.

Kingsley's letter was first. It was a letter about the plan Kingsley had figured out for Harry's Auror training and his post as DADA teacher. Kingsley was also explicit that Harry not show the letter to anyone. Luckily, when Harry said that, everyone accepted it.

The letter from Ollivander was merely a thank you letter, and also asking if he needed a new wand. Harry quickly wrote a letter for Ollivander saying he had a wand, but thanking Ollivander for thinking of him.

Then, came the package from Honeydukes. Harry first opened the note attached to the top. It was a Happy Birthday note, and saying the package was a birthday gift from the people at Honeydukes.

When Harry opened it, it was a single Chocolate Frog. Harry felt a little confused, but opened it. He handed the frog to Ron, who quickly started to eat it before asking, "What's the card?" Harry quickly lifted the card, and froze. His hand shook a little.

"Well, what's the card?" asked Ron again. "Me," Harry said softly. "What?" asked Ron. "It's me. The card is me!" Harry said.

"What?!" everyone the kitchen asked. Harry turned the card around so everyone could see the picture. It was a picture of Harry, smiling slightly and looking out at everyone.

"You're on a Chocolate Frog Card?! That's incredible!" shouted Ron. Everyone else congratulated him too. "What does it say on the back?" Ginny asked.

Harry turned over the card and started to read what was on the back.

 _Harry Potter_

 _Harry Potter is most well known for being the first and only person to ever survive the Killing Curse. Raised by Muggles, Harry Potter grew to become one of the greatest wizards of his time. Mr. Potter defeated the Basilisk of Salazar Slytherin at age 12, learned how to conjure a Patronus Charm at age 13, and won the Triwizard Tournament at age 14. Potter became the one to finally kill the wizard known as Lord Voldemort. Potter enjoys playing Quidditch, and is widely recognized as one of the greatest Seekers to ever play at Hogwarts School._

Everyone was quiet for a few moments. Then, Ron said, "This is awesome!" Everyone went back to congratulating him.

After all the congratulations were finished, Harry went to open his gifts. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley got him everything he had left at Privet Drive. Bill and Fleur had gotten him a wallet that had a picture of him and Ginny fixed to the inside of it. George and Percy had together gotten him a large box of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes merchandise. Ron had gotten him a new Firebolt. It turns out he had gotten the money from Kingsley. And, Hermione had gotten him a golden figurine of a lion rearing over the body a beheaded snake that bore a striking resemblance to Nagini. And, Ginny had gotten him a scrapbook to put in photos of the two of them.

After opening his presents, Harry decided to take a walk around the house with Ginny. As soon as he exited the Burrow, there were screams from girls waiting beyond the magical barriers, trying to get his attention. He did not acknowledge them, even when he saw Romilda Vane watching him expectantly. He simply gripped Ginny's hand tightly as they walked around. Eventually, the noise got too annoying, and they went back inside.

They played games the rest of the day with Ron and Hermione, and discussed the recent Quidditch World Cup. Kingsley had helped to quickly organize it. The final was coming up in a week, between the National Teams of two countries Harry had never heard of: Malawi and Senegal.

That night was Harry's birthday dinner. In preparation for it, the magical boundaries had been slightly expanded, and Aurors had been placed around the edge of the boundaries to keep people away.

The dinner began at 7:00 in the evening. The whole Weasley family was there. A lot of other people had come too: Professor Mcgonagall, Hagrid, Andromeda, Teddy, the Patil twins, Neville, Luna, Dean, Seamus, Oliver, Angelina, Alicia, Katie, Lavender, Cho, and even Professor Slughorn, though Harry only invited him because he was sure Slughorn would probably try and come anyway.

Everyone was in a party mood, were excited to be able to wish Harry a Happy Birthday in person, and they were all thrilled to hear he was on Chocolate Frog Cards.

Near the end of the dinner, Harry stood up in front of everybody and said loudly, "Excuse me, everyone. I have an announcement to make." Everyone looked up at him. Ginny, who was right behind him, came up beside him and took his hand, smiling.

Harry looked at her, and nodded. She nodded back. It was time to tell their friends.

They all looked at everyone. Then, Ginny lifted her hand, so everyone could see the ring. Before anyone could really react, Harry said, "Me and Ginny are engaged."

There was a second's worth of silence, then the table erupted in cheers. Everyone who was not a Weasley came running up to congratulate them. Harry and Ginny just smiled through it all, happy to know their friends were supportive of them in this.

The rest of the night was a bit of a blur. When he went to bed that night, Harry smiled, feeling like he had just had one of the best birthdays of his life.

 **I think I'll stop right there.**

 **I hope this chapter is good. I wrote a lot of this around midnight, and I was kinda rushed to finish it before going to bed.**

 **I hope my description of Harry on his Chocolate Frog card wasn't too bad. It will change when some life changing events come up. If you guys have any ideas on how improve the description, let me know, and I might change it.**

 **Well, I'm not in the mood for much more chit-chat, so let's stop right here. Please review, and be excited for the next chapter.**

 **Raptor2216 out.**


	8. Chapter 8- The Future

**Hello guys. It's time for Chapter 8.**

 **This chapter will feature discussion about future plans, and a surprise for Harry. That will be about it.**

 **Let's get started.**

 **Chapter 8- The Future**

Harry walked into the living room of the Burrow. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were all sitting around in armchairs, or on the couch in Ginny's case. They were all just enjoying a nice day after work at the joke shop before Ginny and Hermione headed back to Hogwarts.

Harry sat down on the couch with Ginny. She smiled and grasped his hand.

Everyone sat there for a minute, just staying silent. Then, Harry said, "So, what does everyone have planned for the coming year?" He was just trying to introduce a nice topic of conversation.

"Well, you should know me and Ginny are heading back to Hogwarts, so besides that, you could say we don't have much going on," said Hermione. "Hey!" Ginny said in mock protest, "Have you forgotten I'm getting married next summer? I need to be getting ready for that."

Hermione smiled. "Of course. We can't forget your wedding, can we? Especially since I'll be Maid of Honor, right?" Ginny smiled. "Of course you will."

"Ron, what exactly are you planning to do for the next year?" Harry asked, genuinely curious. Ron had never made any mention of his plans.

Ron grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "Kingsley offered me an Auror job. But, I'm going to work with George in the shop for at least a year before going into the Auror Department."

Harry nodded. "What are you doing?" Ron asked Harry. "Kingsley offered me a job as an Auror. So I'm probably going to start Auror training this fall," Harry said.

Ginny squeezed his hand little bit and smiled at him. "I'm so proud of you," she said lovingly. Harry smiled back at his fiancee. "I love you," he said. Ginny smiled back. "I love you too," she said, and gave him a quick kiss.

"Um, still sitting over here," said Ron. Ginny smirked at him. "Well, we're engaged, so get used to it," she told him. Ron rolled his eyes, then said, "Speaking of you guys getting married, Harry, I assume that I'll be your Best Man." "Goes without saying," said Harry with a smile.

All of a sudden, they heard the sound of an owl screeching. A minute later, George came into the room, holding an envelope. Harry noticed he was wearing new gloves. "Hey, Harry. This just came for you." "Thanks, George," said Harry. He reached out and took the envelope, only to get a sudden shock.

"What the…?" Harry said loudly. George fell back, laughing. He then held up one of his hands, showing off his new gloves. It was at that moment that Harry noticed that the palms and fingers had light blue lines running along them.

"Electroshock Gloves," George said, "Touch someone else while wearing them, and they get shocked." Harry smiled. "Nice one George. Make sure you send me a pair of those," Harry said. George winked, then walked out of the living room.

Harry looked at the letter. It was addressed from Gringotts. "Huh. It's from Gringotts," Harry said. "Huh. Wonder what it could be about?" Ron asked.

Harry took out a small knife he had in his pocket and slit open the envelope. He unfolded the letter and read it to himself.

 _Dear Mr. Potter,_

 _You have recently received the remainder of your inheritance from your parents and your godfather, Sirius Black._

 _You presence is requested to go over your inheritance. Please come to Gringotts at your earliest possible convenience._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Galvan, Head Goblin_

Harry looked at the letter. "Well?" asked Ginny. "Apparently, I had more of an inheritance than I thought. They want me to come to Gringotts as soon as possible to discuss it," said Harry.

"Well, congratulations," said Ginny. "Well, now I definitely know where to go when I need to borrow money," said Ron, which earned him a glare from Hermione. "Just kidding," Ron said.

The next day, Harry went to Gringotts to discuss his inheritance with Galvan. He brought Bill with him as a witness.

When Harry walked into Gringotts, he looked hesitantly around at the goblins. However, they seemed to take almost no notice of him. It looked as though the goblins held no grudge against him for breaking into Gringotts a few months ago.

Harry walked up to one goblin. "Hello. I'm here to Galvan." "Indeed, Mr. Potter. Galvan is waiting for you. Let me take you to his office." The goblin hopped down from his desk and led him to an office that had a door label reading "Galvan, Head Goblin."

The goblin let Harry and Bill into the office. An older goblin sat at a desk that also had the label "Galvan, Head Goblin" on it. The goblin looked up when Harry and Bill walked in. "Ahh, Mr. Potter. Thank you for coming so soon after receiving my letter. And welcome to you too, Mr. Weasley. Please, both of you, sit down." He indicated two chairs that sat in front of his desk.

Harry and Bill sat down. "Well, Mr. Potter. As I said in my letter, you have received the remainder of your inheritance from your parents and your godfather. Your parents left you some money to get you through your school years. The rest, which also included material objects and properties, was to be given to you when you were 18. Sirius Black had a section of his wealth that was also meant to be given to you when you turned 18."

"How much have I inherited?" Harry asked. "From your parents alone, you have inherited a little over 220 million Galleons," Galvan said. Harry's mouth dropped open. Galvan almost cracked a smile.

"I see it is a great surprise to you how much money your parents had. You would not have known, but the Potter family has, historically been one of the richest wizarding families. With no other relatives of yours alive, the whole of the Potter family fortune belongs to you.

"You have also inherited 2 million Galleons from Sirius Black. As he already gave you pretty much all of his possessions in his will, that is all you are receiving from him.

"I have here a list of everything you have received from your parents, in terms of money, items, and properties," Galvan finished, handing a sheet of parchment to Harry. Harry looked at the sheet. The amount of money listed was about 223 million Galleons. There was also a list of possessions his parents had left him. Finally, there was a list of properties. There were a few houses in London, Norfolk, Birmingham, and Liverpool. There was also a beach house, a vacation home in Scotland, near Loch Ness, and, last of all, Potter Manor.

Harry looked over the list again. Then, he looked at Galvan and asked, "Has all the money been transferred to my vault?" "No," Galvan said, "You have been given ownership of the Potter vault, in the deepest part of Gringotts. That is where all the money and possessions you have received has been stored. The money from the vault you have used up till now has been transferred to the Potter vault."

Harry nodded. "I want to have 1 million Galleons given to Hermione Granger, another million to Andromeda Tonks, and 10 million to the Weasley family." Bill looked shocked that Harry had just said that. Galvan, however nodded. "Of course. I will write out the order immediately, and the transfer should be enacted later today. Now, do you wish to do anything with the properties you have inherited?" "I want to keep them all. I might give most of the houses to my kids when they're grown up, and I'll probably live in Potter Manor. But, I won't live in any of them for a while, so keep them maintained." Galvan nodded.

"Excellent. Most of the material possessions your parents left you will be sent to Potter Manor to be stored there. Is that acceptable?" Galvan asked. "Yes. I would also like to put 3 million Galleons down to cover the costs of repairing Hogwarts School," Harry said. "Certainly. Now, you need to sign this," Galvan said, pushing a piece of parchment towards him, "This certifies that you met with me and you told us what to do with your inheritance." Harry quickly signed it. When he finished, Galvan took the parchment and rolled it up. He then thanked Harry for coming in, and Harry left Galvan's office.

Bill stayed in Gringotts, but Harry left the bank and headed out into Diagon Alley. He stopped in the Leaky Cauldron for a butterbeer. As he drank, he reflected on what he had inherited. He might be the richest wizard in Britain. And he had a place for him and Ginny to live and raise a family.

The future was looking good for Harry Potter.

 **Okay, and that's the end of that.**

 **Hope this chapter wasn't too bad. It was kind of a filler chapter. And yes, harry will be living in Potter Manor. I'll disclose where it actually is later. You may see his two vacation homes showing up in the future too. Also, don't ask where I got the name Galvan. I just decided I wanted a name starting with G, and somehow I came up with Galvan.**

 **Next chapter will be better, and should be up by tomorrow (hopefully). Until then, have a nice summer, and may your Bertie Bott's Beans always be delicious.**

 **Raptor2216 out.**


	9. Chapter 9- Back to Hogwarts

****Hello to all my readers out there. I'm back with Chapter 9.****

 ** **This chapter will be the return to Hogwarts chapter, and everyone will finally learn about Harry being a one-year DADA teacher.****

 ** **Enough chit-chat. Let's get going with the chapter.****

 ** **Chapter 9- Back to Hogwarts****

 **Ginny allowed her mother to hug her, even though she felt the air being squeezed out of her lungs. "I can't believe it. My little baby is going to her last year at Hogwarts. The Weasley family's Hogwarts days are almost done. I can't believe how grown up all my children are."**

 **"** **Okay, mother. I love you, but you are suffocating me. Would you mind letting me go now?" Ginny asked her mother. Mrs. Weasley let go and looked Ginny right in the face. "Sorry, dear. I just can't believe how old you've gotten. I still remember when you were a baby. It still feels like yesterday."**

 **"** **Okay, stop," said Ginny, feeling like a tear was budding in the corner of her eye, but also feeling a little embarrassed.**

 **"** **I've got to get on the train. Goodbye, mother," Ginny said. Mrs. Weasley let a few tears flow, but nodded. "Of course. But I'll miss you. I will see you at Christmas. Don't forget, we're going shopping for your wedding dress over Christmas break."**

 **"** **Shhhhhh," GInny said quickly, "Remember, the only people who know are the people who went to Harry's birthday party." Mrs. Weasley looked a little embarrassed she had almost let the secret slip. Luckily, nobody else had heard her.**

 **Ginny grabbed her trunk. "Well, it's time for me to go. Goodbye, everybody." There was another round of quick hugs, and Ginny turned around, pulling her trunk towards the scarlet Hogwarts Express.**

 **It was September 1st. She and Hermione were returning to Hogwarts. Most of their friends were returning. However, Ron wasn't, as he was working at George's shop.**

 **Then, there was Harry. He had left the Burrow 9 days ago, and Ginny hadn't seen him since. He had said it had to do with his Auror training, but hadn't said anything more than that. She was wondering if something had gone wrong, or if he had gone missing. But, she hadn't gotten any notice from Kingsley, so she had to follow the old phrase "No news is good news."**

 **Ginny dragged her trunk to an empty compartment. She was just stowing her trunk in position when Luna walked into the compartment.. "Hello, Ginny," she said brightly. Ginny smiled back. "Hello, Luna. It's so good to see you."**

 **The two of them sat down beside each other. "How was your summer?" Ginny asked. "Very well. I had to help Daddy rebuild our house, which was kind of fun, actually." Ginny nodded. She had heard the story of the fiasco at Lovegood's house.**

 **"** **How was yours?" Luna asked. "Very good," said Ginny. "Are you excited to be engaged?" Luna said, wisely lowering her voice. Ginny smiled and nodded vigorously. "Can I see the ring again?" Luna asked. Ginny held out her left hand so that Luna could see the ring.**

 **Luna stared at the ring for a few moments, admiring it. Then, she asked, "This was originally Harry's mum's engagement ring, right?" "Yes it is," Ginny responded. "That is amazing," Luna said, "It's so sweet. When is the wedding?" "Next summer," Ginny responded.**

 **"** **By the way," Ginny said, "Where's Neville?" Luna smiled. "He's in the prefect compartment with Hermione," she said. "Oh, yeah. I remember. That's so amazing Neville got chosen." Neville and Hermione had been chosen as Head Boy and Girl for the year. Apparently, Neville had fainted when he found out he had chosen as Head Boy. His grandmother had been incredibly pleased to learn about it.**

 **"** **He seems pretty nervous," said Luna. "Oh, he'll do fine," said Ginny.**

 **The noise of people getting onto the train and moving through the corridors grew as 11:00 drew nearer. Ginny was starting to think that she would end up riding alone with Luna the whole trip, which wasn't a bad thing, though it wouldn't be quite as fun. Then, just a minute before departure, Dean, Seamus, and Parvarti Patil appeared at the door.**

 **"** **Hey, fellow DA members. Mind if we join you?" asked Seamus. "Of course, Seamus," Ginny said. The three walked into the compartment. Ginny and Luna gave each of them a hug.**

 **As they all sat down, the train started to move. They all waved at family and friends standing on the platform until the train pulled out of sight.**

 **"** **Well, how your summer?" Ginny asked the three new arrivals. "Pretty good," said Seamus. "Same here. It was great," said Dean. Parvarti said the same.**

 **"** **So, can I see your ring again?" asked Parvarti, with excitement twinkling in her eyes. Ginny smiled, but consented, holding up the ring. Parvarti, Dean, and Seamus all looked carefully at the ring. "It's so beautiful," said Parvarti, "I hope I get a ring like this." Ginny smiled at Parvarti.**

 **"** **I'm so happy for you and Harry," said Dean. It sounded a little weird coming from Dean, but Ginny still smiled and said "Thank you."**

 **"** **When's the wedding?" Seamus asked. "Next summer," Ginny said. "Will we be invited?" asked Parvarti. "Yes," Ginny responded.**

 **For a few moments, everything was quiet. Then, as Luna opened her mouth to speak, the five friends suddenly heard voices from the other side of the closed compartment door.**

 **"** **Don't worry about it, Romilda," said a girl's voice. Ginny and and the others kept their mouths shut as soon as they heard Romilda's name. Ginny was tempted to walk out and yell at Romilda or hex her, but managed to keep herself quiet and in her seat.**

 **"** **I've sent him so many chocolates. I don't get it. Either he hasn't eaten any of them, or they've given him an antidote," said Romilda.**

 **"** **Don't worry. It'll all work out," said her friend. "Of course. He'll be mine eventually. But I have to get him soon, or he might go back to that Weasley girl," said Romilda.**

 **Dean and Seamus quickly grabbed Ginny's hands to make sure she didn't run out and hex Romilda, which she might've done if they hadn't done that. She had just about had enough of Romilda's obsession with Harry.**

 **Romilda and her friend moved off, and Dean and Seamus dared to release Ginny. Luckily, she chose not to chase after Romilda.**

 **"** **It's okay, Ginny," said Luna calmly, "Romilda will never be able to take Harry away from you. But, if I were you, I'd keep some love potion antidote on hand just in case." "I will," she said, "I'll get Professor Slughorn's help to make me some after our first Potions class."**

 **The rest of the train ride was very enjoyable. Hermione and Neville joined them at about the halfway point in the journey. They had an enjoyable time with Ginny's group.**

 **As they neared Hogsmeade Station, Hermione and Neville left to help shepherd students to where they needed to go. Ginny and the others changed into their robes.**

 **Finally, after darkness had settled over the landscape, the Express pulled into Hogsmeade Station. Ginny climbed off the train with her group.**

 **Parvarti left to find Lavender and her sister, but Dean and Seamus came Ginny and Luna.**

 **When the four of them reached the place where the carriages sat waiting, Ginny stopped short when she saw the thestrals. Looking around, she saw Dean and Seamus looking at them in amazement. It was kinda cool they could see the thestrals now, but it also made it clear just how many people had died that night if so many people could now see thestrals.**

 **Ginny, Luna, Dean, and Seamus all got into one of the carriages. It quickly began making its way up to the school. They talked about the coming year, what classes they would be taking, and other trivial things.**

 **When the carriage reached the school, they disembarked and headed for the front doors. They walked through the entrance hall and headed into the Great Hall, taking their seats at the Gryffindor table with Hermione and Neville.**

 **After they sat down, Ginny looked up at the staff table. They were a couple of changes. There was a new Muggle Studies teacher. Professor McGonagall was now sitting in the chair that had once been Dumbledore's, and a middle-aged man was sitting in her old seat. Then on one side of McGongagall's seat was a young, dark-haired man that Ginny assumed was the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He had his head turned, and was talking with Professor Sprout. His face was hidden, but he looked incredibly familiar.**

 **Ginny kept watching him, waiting for him to turn his head. Then, right as the first years started to come in, led by Professor Flitwick, he turned his head to face the first years, and Ginny's mouth fell open. It was Harry.**

 **"** **Harry!" she said in amazement. Everyone else looked at her. Hermione said, "What?" Then, they looked up at the staff table, and their mouths dropped open. "I thought he said he was going to Auror training," Hermione said. "He did," said Ginny. "So what's he doing at the staff table?" asked Neville.**

 **A number of other people had noticed Harry was at the staff table as well, and were pointing at him and whispering. But, their attention was diverted by the Sorting Hat being placed on its stool as the first years, (which numbered much more than usual, due to the number of Muggle-borns who had been unable to start the previous year) came to a halt.**

 **The Sorting Hat began singing its new song, but Ginny didn't even pay attention. She just sat staring at Harry, amazed he was here, and wondering what he was doing there.**

 **Finally, the Sorting Hat ended its song, and Professor Flitwick began calling first years up to the stool to be sorted. Ginny clapped politely for each one to be sorted into Gryffindor, but always allowing her eyes to stray back to Harry.**

 **When all the first years had been sorted, and the Sorting Hat was taken away, Professor McGonagall stood up to address everyone. "To all of you, whether it is your first year here or your last, I welcome you to Hogwarts. I have several remarks for you, and several introductions to make, but now is not the time for it. For now, eat up." With that, the feast appeared on the tables, and students began to eat.**

 **Ginny had an enjoyable time, chatting a lot with her friends, but allowing her eyes to keep wandering up to Harry. Every time their eyes made contact, they exchanged smiles.**

 **Once the feast was over, Professor McGonagall stood up again. "I hope you have enjoyed yourselves. Now, before I release to go to bed, I would like to make a few introductions of new staff members. First off, I would like to introduce my replacement as Transfiguration teacher: Professor Daniel White. He has been studying alchemy in Africa for past ten years, and has only just returned to Britain. I trust you will all help him feel welcome.**

 **"** **Next, our new Muggle Studies teacher: Professor Winston Tuvvey. He has served in the Muggle military for a number of years, and has only recently retired from service. I hope you will all help him to very comfortable in his return to the Wizarding World.**

 **"** **Finally, I would like to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher: Professor Harry Potter. Professor Potter has agreed to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts this year before moving on to Auror training. I hope you will help make his year here an enjoyable one."**

 **Ginny stared at her fiancee as he acknowledged the applause directed at him. He was going to be Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher? Why hadn't he told her?**

 **McGonagall then made her announcements. The forest is forbidden. Filch's warnings. The usual. Then she dismissed everyone to go to bed. Ginny, however, ran up to the staff table.**

 **Instead of kissing him, she just gave him a quick hug, then asked, "Why didn't you tell me? And why are you even here?"**

 **"** **First off, Kingsley made me swear not tell anyone about my appointment. As for why I'm here, Kingsley said he would cut down my Auror training by a lot if I agreed to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts here for a year. He also said I needed to do a little more studying in the other subjects I need, mainly Potions. Plus, he said you'd like it." Ginny smiled a little. "Well, I'm glad you're here," she said, "I'm sure lessons with you will be great."**

 **"** **Well, I've already taught you so much through the D.A., I'm guessing my lessons might be pretty boring," Harry said. "Lessons will never be boring if you're teaching them," said Ginny.**

 **Harry smiled. "Well, Miss Weasley, I'm afraid you will have to return to your common room. I must go and prepare for my first lessons tomorrow." Ginny tried to put on a grumpy face, but failed miserably. She gave Harry a quick kiss on the cheek, then hurried off to the common room.**

 **As she fell asleep that night, she had a big smile on her face. This year at Hogwarts was going to be very fun.**

 ** **And, that is the end of this chapter.****

 ** **I got the last name of the Muggle Studies teacher from the name of an important Royal Navy Admiral of World War II: Fleet Admiral John Tuvvey. Don't try and remember the other new professors. I don't plan on them being important at all in this story.****

 ** **Next chapter will be Harry's first day of lessons. If you have anything you'd like to see him teach his students, tell me. I do already have an idea of what I want him to teach, but I'll go ahead and ask you guys anyway.****

 ** **Please, don't forget to review.****

 ** **Raptor2216 out.****


	10. Chapter 10- Harry's First Lesson

**Hello to all my readers. I am so very sorry that this took so long to get up. But, I promise, I will try to be better about posting more often.**

 **This chapter will be about Harry's first lesson with the the 7th years. Also, like in many other stories I've read, students who were seventh years and didn't get to finish their year the previous year will be part of the 7th year class.**

 **Alright. Let's get going.**

 **Chapter 10- Harry's First Lesson**

 _Well, today will be an interesting day._

That was the thought that ran through Harry's head as he shifted through some papers on his desk. He was preparing for his first day of lessons as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. His first lesson would be with the seventh years. He had lessons with the first years and fourth years later that day.

He had been considering all through the night what he should teach. He had decided to do things a little differently.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of the door opening. He looked up to see the Patil twins walking into the room. The seventh years this year comprised those that were sixth years the previous year, or were seventh years that hadn't gotten to finish their last year because of what had happened at Hogwarts. The latter group were called the Repeat Seventh Years. The Patils were among those repeating their seventh year to get a proper education for their last year.

"Hey, Parvarti. Padme," he greeted them. " Hello, Professor," they said simultaneously. Harry smiled. "We've been friends for years. You can call me by my name," he said. The twins smiled at that, then took their seats.

About a minute later, more students started filing in. Neville. Susan. Hannah. Seamus. Dean. Luna. Lavender, who was badly scarred from her encounter with Greyback. There were also a lot of students who he didn't know.

Then, as the room was filling up, the two students he was most excited for entered. Hermione and Ginny came in, chatting with each other. But, as soon as they entered the room, they both looked at Harry, Ginny flashing him a smile. He smiled back. They took their seats near the front of the room.

Harry waited for about another minute, then stood up.

"Hello, everyone. Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts. I am Professor Harry Potter. I'll be your teacher for this year."

After pausing for a second, he said, "Now, I know about half of you. However, the rest of you, I'm going to do a quick roll call so I can learn your names."

After doing a roll call to learn the names of those students he didn't know, Harry stepped up in front of his desk and faced the class.

"Now, I don't know how much you were taught last year. So, for now, instead of going off of a set lesson plan, I'm going to ask you all if you have anything specific you would like me to teach you."

He looked around at everyone. For a few moments there was silence. Most of the students who'd been in Dumbledore's Army were just smiling. Then, a Slytherin seventh year slowly raised his hand. Harry gestured to him and said, "Yes?"

"Umm, I have something. I've always wanted to learn how to do the Patronus Charm. And, I've heard you're kind of an expert on it. Could you teach us that?"

Harry smiled. "That is an excellent topic to start on."

He paused for a moment, then said, "As all of you should know, the main purpose of the Patronus Charm is provide protection against Dementors, since it is the only thing that works on them. However, the Patronus has two other uses. Do any of you know those other uses?"

Hermione raised her hand immediately. "Yes, Hermione," he said. "One of the other two uses of a Patronus Charm is to repel Lethifolds, a creature resembling a cloak that only lives in the tropics, and preys on people while they're asleep," Hermione said.

"Very good," Harry said, "And what is the last use of the Patronus Charm?"

Dean was the one to raise his hand. "It can also be used to send messages."

"Yes," said Harry, "You're right. With the right amount of practice, one can use their Patronus to send messages."

"Now, the Patronus can be one of the most difficult spells in the world to master," Harry said, "Also it requires personal effort. In order for a Patronus to work, you must call up a memory that brings you real joy. You must allow it to fill you up, focus on it, then, and only then, will the charm work."

He stopped speaking, raised his wand, summoned the memory of when Ginny agreed to marry him, and said, "Expecto Patronum!" The silver stag erupted from the end of his wand and cantered around the room before it dissipated. Those who hadn't seen him conjure a Patronus before watched it in awe. When it dissipated, they looked back to him.

"What you just saw was a corporeal Patronus. That means that it had a clear form. An incorporeal Patronus is one that is just silver mist, without a clearly defined form."

"Now, all of you that have been in the organization Dumbledore's Army that I ran in my fifth year should know how to cast a Patronus. Is there anyone else who knows how to cast a Patronus?" Only one hand went up.

"Okay. So, let's begin. Henry, come on up," he said. Henry, the Slytherin boy who asked to learn about the Patronus, came up to the front.

"Now, think of a happy memory," Harry said. Henry closed his eyes, concentrating. After a minute, he opened his eyes, and said, "Got it."

"Allow it to fill your mind. Concentrate on it. Then, when you're ready, say the incantation," Harry said, taking a step back. Henry stood there for a few seconds, concentrating. Then he raised his wand and said, "Expecto Patronum."

A small stream of silver vapor came out of his wand, forming a small shield in front of him. It kept up for a few seconds before it disappeared.

"Outstanding!" Harry said enthusiastically, "That's one of the best first tries I've seen so far." After pausing a moment, he asked, "What was the memory you chose?"

"When I got my Hogwarts letter," Henry said. "A nice choice. But do you have a happier memory? One that might produce better results?"

Henry thought for a second, then nodded. "Yeah, I do."

"Okay, then. When you're ready," Harry said.

Henry stood there for a few seconds, then raised his wand again and said, "Expecto Patronum!" After a split second, a silver dolphin erupted from his wand, swimming gracefully through the air. It did one lap of the room before it dissipated.

"Incredible!" Harry said in a slightly raised voice, "Amazing! Don't think I've seen anyone master the Patronus so quickly."

Henry smiled at the praise. "Thanks."

"Just out of curiosity, what was the new memory you chose?" Harry asked. "When my little brother was born," Henry said. There was a chorus of soft "Aww"s from some of the girls in the class.

"Okay, you can return to your seat," Harry said to Henry. When Henry sat down, Harry said, "Okay. It's time for everyone to start working on it. Everyone spread out. Start practicing the Patronus. For those of you who don't already know how to do it, if you need some help, go to one of the former members of Dumbledore's Army for help."

For the rest of the class, Harry walked around the class, watching everyone practicing. For those that hadn't been in the DA, they were doing fairly well. Most were only able to produce incorporeal Patronuses. However, two were able to produce corporeal Patronuses: a Repeat Seventh Year from Hufflepuff he didn't know who produced a labrador Patronus, and a seventh year from Ravenclaw, who produced a panther Patronus.

At the end of the class, Harry dismissed his students, saying they would follow the same pattern the next class, and cover what the class wanted to.

All the students filed out, except for Ginny and Hermione, who hung back to talk to Harry real quick.

"That was a great first lesson, sweetheart," Ginny said. "Sweetheart? That's a new one," Harry said.

Ginny grinned. "Well, you're my fiancee now. I think I can start using more affectionate terms for you," she responded. Harry blushed a little.

"What are you going to do for your other classes?" Hermione asked. "For my fourth year class, I'm gonna start them on the Patronus Charm. As for the first years, I'm undecided yet."

"Well, I'm sure you'll do fine," Ginny said with smile. Harry smiled back.

"Well, you two better get going. You don't want to be late for your next class, and I need to prepare for mine," Harry said. Ginny looked a little sad to have to leave him again, but she and Hermione left the classroom.

Harry had an enjoyable rest of his first day. His lesson with the fourth years on the Patronus went well. Two students were able to produce corporeal Patronuses near the end of the lesson, after a lot of practicing: a Ravenclaw who produced one in the form of a monkey, and a Gryffindor who produced one in the shape of a cheetah.

His lesson with the first years was a simple one. He started teaching the Disarming charm, as well as conjuring sparks from their wands.

When he went to bed that day, he felt exhausted from all the work he had put in, and wondered what he would teach the next day.

 **And that's it. I hope it wasn't disappointing.**

 **You might see Henry show up a few more times in story. I'm not yet sure if I want to make him a recurring character.**

 **I'm not sure what else to say, except to ask you to review. Please.**

 **Raptor2216 out.**


	11. Chapter 11- An Evening Alone

**Hey, guys. Back with Chapter 11. I plan on being fairly speedy with updates from now on.**

 **This chapter will just be Ginny and Harry getting some quality time together. Probably going to be a short chapter.**

 **Enough chit-chat. Let's get going.**

 **Chapter 11- An Evening Alone**

Harry finished putting his papers inside his bag, then closed it. He carried it into his office, set it down beside his desk, then left the office and shut the door.

He breathed a sigh of relief. His first week of teaching was over, and it had gone very well. Now, he had promised Ginny that they would get to spend the night together.

He hurried out of the classroom and down towards the entrance hall. A number of students were starting to make their way to dinner. Several called greetings to him, but he didn't pay them much attention. He was just waiting for one student.

As he got to the entrance hall, he saw her waiting for him. Ginny stood waiting for him, dressed in jeans and a long sleeve shirt. She smiled at him as he approached.

"Hey, Harry," she called. As she walked up to him, she put her arms on his shoulders and gave him a quick kiss.

"How was your day?" Harry asked. "Good," she said, "I've got a lot of people who say they want to try out for the Quidditch team."

"You'll do fabulously as Captain," Harry said.

"Thank you," Ginny said, kissing Harry on the cheek.

As she pulled back, Ginny saw Romilda Vane enter the entrance hall. She happened to glance their direction. When she saw the two of them so close, she stopped short, a thunderous expression on her face.

Ginny ignored her and looked straight into Harry's face, smiling slightly. "Let's go outside. That way, we won't have anyone intruding."

Harry smiled. He had noticed Romilda too. "Yes, let's go," he said. Ginny took his hand, and they walked out of the entrance hall.

Hand in hand, they walked out onto the grounds. "Are you sure we'll be alright out here?" Ginny asked. "Yes. So long as I'm with you, you'll be fine," Harry said.

Ginny smiled. "I'm always fine if I'm with you."

Harry smiled. "Such a romantic girl. One of the reasons I love you so much."

Ginny smiled at her boyfriend. "Where are we going?" she asked. "Somewhere very special," Harry said.

The two of them slowly walked down towards the lake as the sun slowly set, dying the sky a bright orange.

As they walked along the shore of the lake, Harry said, "Hey, let's stop right there," indicating a spot under a tree along the shore.

The two walked over and sat down under the tree. Then, Harry reached inside the jacket he was wearing, and pulled out Hermione's bag that she had loaned him for the evening. He reached inside, and drew out a picnic basket. Ginny sighed a little, and said, "Aww, Harry, you're so romantic."

Harry grinned, then waved his wand and conjured up a blanket for the two of them.

Ginny smiled, then sat down on the blanket. "So, what's in the basket?" she asked playfully.

Harry smiled. "Hermione put a similar charm on this as on her bag, so I got a lot of stuff in here." He commenced pulling things out of the basket. Mashed potatoes. Chicken. Sausages. A steak and kidney pie. And a bowl of soup.

Ginny smiled. "Harry, this is so thoughtful," she said.

Harry smiled. "We've hardly gotten to spend any time together since you got here. I thought we'd spend the night together and have dinner together."

Ginny smiled, accepting a platter of mashed potatoes and chicken.

Together, they had a very nice picnic dinner together on the shore of the lake. They chatted about the first week of school, and how they were looking forward to the Quidditch season. They also talked very excitedly about their wedding next summer.

Once they finished their dinner, Harry reached into the picnic basket, and pulled out a small chocolate cake. Ginny looked at it in amazement.

"I made this myself," Harry said. "Aww, Harry. That's so sweet," Ginny said.

Harry took a knife and cut the cake up. The two of them ate about half of the cake, then packed up the rest to take it back to the castle to eat later.

As Harry and Ginny walked back up to the castle, hand in hand, Ginny smiled. Her first week back at Hogwarts had been the best first week at Hogwarts she had ever had.

 **I think I will end there.**

 **Sorry if the ending was a little rushed. I just wanted to get this up today, and I didn't think I'd have much more time to write.**

 **Keep watching for Chapter 12. Please review. And, until next time, keep reading.**

 **Raptor2216 out.**


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